Prostate-specific antigen
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a prostate-associated protein measured in serum and used as a tumor marker in the evaluation of prostate cancer.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a prostate-associated protein measured in serum and used as a tumor marker in the evaluation of prostate cancer. PSA determination supports cancer detection and monitoring, and has also been examined alongside prostate volume, Gleason Score, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging, and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System findings to assess disease extent, including extraprostatic extension. In patients presenting with skeletal metastasis of unknown primary, PSA may help distinguish a prostate origin from other malignancies.
PSA interpretation is increasingly being studied within multimodal risk assessment rather than as an isolated measurement. Recent work has evaluated PSA-based decision-making against the Stockholm3 test, investigated the potential masking of PSA levels by insulin resistance independently of body mass index, and incorporated PSA into predictive nomograms for patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Parallel research is developing rapid and highly sensitive PSA assays, including quantum-dot, aptamer, electrochemiluminescent, CRISPR/Cas12a-G4 DNAzyme, and smartphone-quantified lateral-flow platforms for measurement in serum.
Where the papers sit
10 papers from the last 6 months study prostate-specific antigen directly · updated from PubMed 2 Oct 2026
Study type 0 clinical trials · 4 observational · 6 human data
Themes 3 themes
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Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
PSA-based diagnosis is moving toward multimodal risk stratification rather than relying on a single marker. Stockholm3 is being validated in primary care, while biparametric MRI nomograms estimate extraprostatic extension before surgery. Tumour markers are also being assessed when skeletal metastases have an unknown primary. Insulin resistance and HOMA-IR may mask PSA signals, leaving metabolic confounding as an open clinical issue.
4 papers · 40%
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Quantum Dot Biosensing
PSA detection is moving toward ultrasensitive optical and electrochemiluminescent biosensors. Shell-tuned colloidal quantum dots and carbon-dot systems paired with TiO2/In2S3 improve signal generation through aptamer-based recognition. Streptavidin-biotin architectures extend the approach to amplified, simultaneous multi-biomarker detection. The recurring goal is lower detection limits without losing assay specificity in serum.
3 papers · 30%
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Rapid Point-of-Care Biosensing
PSA measurement is moving toward rapid, portable assays that combine nanomaterials, aptamers and smartphone quantification. Fe3O4-Au reporters support colorimetric lateral-flow testing, while peptoid and phosphorothioate aptamers address antifouling in electrochemical sensors. CRISPR/Cas12a-G4 DNAzyme platforms broaden the format to nucleic-acid and non-nucleic-acid targets. Sensitivity, recovery and reproducibility remain the central performance tests.
3 papers · 30%
Papers
The 10 papers from the last 6 months that study prostate-specific antigen directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis (4)
- The overlooked biochemical pathway: how insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) modulates "metabolic masking" of prostate-specific antigen separately from body mass index. International urology and nephrology · 12 Aug 2026 PMID 42584783
- Development and internal validation of a biparametric MRI-based nomogram for predicting extraprostatic extension in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Journal of robotic surgery · 22 Jul 2026 PMID 42486920
- Validation of the Stockholm3 test for prostate cancer detection in a nationwide Finnish private primary care cohort. Scandinavian journal of urology · 21 Jul 2026 PMID 42478891
- Clinical utility of tumour markers in skeletal metastasis of unknown primary at the initial visit. Japanese journal of clinical oncology · 12 May 2026 PMID 42116797
Quantum Dot Biosensing (3)
- Simultaneous multi-biomarker detection: streptavidin-biotin mediated high-quality quantum dot immunosensor with signal amplification. Analytica chimica acta · 26 May 2026 PMID 42191297
- Specific detection against PSA by using emission wavelength of carbon dots modulates TiO2/In2S3-based photoelectrochemical aptasensor. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces · 3 May 2026 PMID 42070485
- Shell-thickness-modulated electrochemiluminescence of colloidal quantum dots for ultrasensitive PSA detection. Biosensors & bioelectronics · 29 Apr 2026 PMID 42054862
Rapid Point-of-Care Biosensing (3)
- Fe3O4-Au cluster-satellite particles as direct colorimetric reporters in a smartphone-quantified lateral flow immunoassay for prostate-specific antigen. Mikrochimica acta · 25 Sept 2026 PMID 42789117
- Universal CRISPR/Cas12a-G4 DNAzyme biosensing platform for rapid detection of nucleic acid and non-nucleic acid targets. The Analyst · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42677878
- The integration of peptoid and phosphorothioate aptamer into electrochemical biosensors for the robust antifouling detection of prostate-specific antigen in human serum. Analytica chimica acta · 13 May 2026 PMID 42128564
By study type
Observational studies and case reports (4)
- The overlooked biochemical pathway: how insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) modulates "metabolic masking" of prostate-specific antigen separately from body mass index. International urology and nephrology · 12 Aug 2026 PMID 42584783
- Development and internal validation of a biparametric MRI-based nomogram for predicting extraprostatic extension in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Journal of robotic surgery · 22 Jul 2026 PMID 42486920
- Validation of the Stockholm3 test for prostate cancer detection in a nationwide Finnish private primary care cohort. Scandinavian journal of urology · 21 Jul 2026 PMID 42478891
- Clinical utility of tumour markers in skeletal metastasis of unknown primary at the initial visit. Japanese journal of clinical oncology · 12 May 2026 PMID 42116797
Human data, design not indexed (6)
- Fe3O4-Au cluster-satellite particles as direct colorimetric reporters in a smartphone-quantified lateral flow immunoassay for prostate-specific antigen. Mikrochimica acta · 25 Sept 2026 PMID 42789117
- Universal CRISPR/Cas12a-G4 DNAzyme biosensing platform for rapid detection of nucleic acid and non-nucleic acid targets. The Analyst · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42677878
- Simultaneous multi-biomarker detection: streptavidin-biotin mediated high-quality quantum dot immunosensor with signal amplification. Analytica chimica acta · 26 May 2026 PMID 42191297
- The integration of peptoid and phosphorothioate aptamer into electrochemical biosensors for the robust antifouling detection of prostate-specific antigen in human serum. Analytica chimica acta · 13 May 2026 PMID 42128564
- Specific detection against PSA by using emission wavelength of carbon dots modulates TiO2/In2S3-based photoelectrochemical aptasensor. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces · 3 May 2026 PMID 42070485
- Shell-thickness-modulated electrochemiluminescence of colloidal quantum dots for ultrasensitive PSA detection. Biosensors & bioelectronics · 29 Apr 2026 PMID 42054862
Written from 10 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-10-02. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.